Unpacking Cryostimulation
Have you heard about cryostimulation before? It’s a treatment where your body is exposed to extremely cold temperatures for a short time.
Think of it as an intense form of a cold shower. But instead of water, we’re talking about cold air. It’s quite chilly – as low as minus 110°C!
Why Would Anyone Do That?
Now, you might be wondering why anyone would willingly submit to such a freezing experience.
Surprisingly, the cold could be good for us. It can boost our bodies’ natural healing power and help us stay fit and healthy.
Cryostimulation and Obesity
Recently, some smart folks from Italy did a study. They wanted to see if cryostimulation could help people who are struggling with obesity.
Their findings were presented at a big event called the European Congress on Obesity in Dublin, Ireland. What they found is truly exciting!
The Study: How They Did It
Dr. Jacopo Fontana and his team worked with 29 participants, both men, and women. All the participants had a BMI greater than 30, which is in the obesity range. These participants were split into two groups.
One group experienced 10 sessions of whole-body cryostimulation (that’s the chilly minus 110°C experience) over two weeks. The other group had a similar treatment, but it was less cold at minus 55°C.
The Results: Seeing the Benefits
The researchers looked at various things: cholesterol levels, blood pressure, waist circumference, and even physical performance.
And guess what? The folks who experienced the really cold treatment showed more improvement than the other group.
Cholesterol levels went down in both groups, but it dropped twice as much for the cryostimulation group.
The same went for waist sizes and blood sugar levels. So, it seems the cold treatment helped these people manage obesity-related health issues better.
A Bit of Science: How Does It Work?
This might sound a bit complicated, but the idea is simple. Our bodies have two types of fat: white and brown. The brown fat is good at burning calories when it gets cold.
So, when people experience cryostimulation, their bodies might be turning more white fat into brown fat, leading to weight loss.
Other Health Benefits
That’s not all! Cryostimulation also appeared to benefit the participants’ heart health.
The group who got the colder treatment saw more significant decreases in blood pressure. And their parasympathetic nervous system was more active.
The parasympathetic what, you ask? It’s a part of our nervous system that helps us relax and recover from stress.
It also controls many body functions like heart rate and digestion. More activity here means more relaxation and better overall health.
Conclusion: A Promising Addition to Obesity Treatment
So, what’s the bottom line? Dr. Fontana and his team believe that cryostimulation is a promising additional treatment for obesity.
Their results showed some striking improvements in the health of the participants who received the treatment.
Still, they caution that more research is needed. This study was quite small, so larger studies need to be done to confirm the results.
But it’s definitely a cool (pun intended!) step towards finding new ways to help people manage their weight and health.
If you care about weight loss, please read studies about why exercise is less helpful in losing weight than simply eating less, and early time-restricted eating could help lose weight.
For more information about weight loss, please see recent studies that hop extract could reduce belly fat in overweight people, and weight loss drugs may help stop COVID-19.
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